Door handle and like fastening



Nov. 9', 1937. I A-GRIMMOND 2,098,868

DOOR HANDLE AND LIKE FASTEN ING Filed April 19, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. i. 3 25 W 5 1 3.02mi" m ATTORN Nov. 9, 1937. R. GRIMMOND 2,098,868

DOOR HANDLE AND LIKE FASTENING Filed April 19, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4, 1'1

INVE NTOK ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 9, 1937 PATENT QFFiCE DOOR HANDLE AND LIKE FASTENING Robert Grimmond, Voorburg, The Hague, Netherlands Application April 19, 1937, Serial No. 137,874 In Great Britain April 22, 1936 18 Claims.

This invention relates to door handle and like assemblies of the kind wherein a handle or equivalent is securable to a spindle by means engageable with or disengageable from a recess in the spindle by rotation of an actuating member relative to the handle or equivalent. For convenience of description, reference is hereinafter and in the appended claims made to door handle assemblies, but it will become apparent that the invention is not limited in its application to door handles and may be used for many other purposes where it is required to retain a spindle in a socket.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved door handle assembly of the kind referred to, in which the or each handle can be secured firmly to the spindle (quite independently of the woodwork and without the use of tapered pins or grub screws and similar objectionable fastening'means as commonly employed) in substantially any desired position along the spindle.

Another object is to enable the or each handle together with a cover plate (which may be a rose or a finger plate) to be rapidly and easily attached and detached without first having to insert or remove troublesome short screws such as are commonly employed for securing the cover plate to the door.

Still another object is to provide a door handle assembly having standardized parts, but, nevertheless, attachable to doors of various thicknesses, with provision for adjustment within limits of a fineness not hitherto attained except with screwed spindles.

With these and other objects in view, the invention provides a door handle or like assembly of the kind-referred to, characterized in that the spindle is retained in the socket by spring retaining means anchored to a carrier member rotatable relative to the socket, so that partial relative turning movement of the carrier member and socket enables the spring retaining means to pass through apertures in the socket into engagement with grooves formed in the spindle, or forces the spring means out of engagement, as desired.

- 'The' socket preferably comprises or supports a "radial flange which serves to hold the carrier member rotatably, but not displaceable axially, in assembly therewith. The same flange may also serve to hold a spindle cover plate rotatably in assembly with the carrier member and the socket, thereby enabling the handle to be removed from the door with the cover plate as a unit.

g -In the assembly according to the invention, the

' retaining means is preferably constituted by at least one U-shaped spring adapted to pass through an opposed pair of apertures in the socket into engagement with grooves in opposite surfaces of the spindle. The base of the or each U- shaped spring is anchored to the carrier member by projections serving for the mounting of the spring with its limbs resiliently free.

The aforesaid grooves may at one end of the spindle be spaced dilierently from grooves at the other end of the spindle, to enable fine adjustment of a pair of sockets or handles to say any thickness of door in a manner which will hereinafter be described. Alternatively, the assembly may include a tandem plurality of retaining means, such as the U-shaped springs above mentioned, the spacing of which is difierent from the spacing of the grooves in the spindle, so that the engagement of one or another of the retaining means with a groove or pair of grooves enables fine adjustment of a socket or handle on the spindle.

Two embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:-

Fig. l is a side view, partly in section, of a pair of door handles mounted on a common spindle;

Fig. 2 is a transverse view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 represents a section on the line III-III of Fig. 1 with the handle removed and the cover plate not shown;

Fig. 4 is an axial section, on an enlarged scale, of a handle socket member;

Fig. 5 is an end view of the same;

Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively front and end views, also on an.enlarged scale, of a U-shaped spring retaining means;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the spindle;

Fig. 9 is a transverse section of the same;

Fig. 10 is an axial section of a modified handle assembly; and

Fig. 11 is a section on the line XI-XI of Fig. 10, with the handle and cover plate not shown.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 9, the handle socket l is of square section and is secured in a nut 2 embedded in the handle 3 by means of a screw 4 inserted into the nut through a hole 5 in the blind end 6 of the socket. The other end of the socket, which is open to receive the spindle 1, (also of square section) has an external shoulder 8 which serves as a bearing for a carrier ring 9 disposed between a cover plate I2 and the handle 3, and a radial flange It! with a rim II which centralizes the carrier ring and the spindle cover plate and holds the ring in place in assembly with the handle.

Extending through two opposite sides of the square sectioned socket l are slots !3 (Fig. 4). A U-shaped spring M (see Figs. 6 and 7) is anchored to the carrier ring 9 by two integral projections l5 at its base, pressed into one pair of holes I6 in the ring 9, and the limbs ll of the spring, which are curved inwardly towards one another, are thereby adapted to project through the aforesaid slots l3 into engagement with a-ny selected pair of 'a number of grooves I8 or I Go formed in the spindle I (see Figs. 8 and 9). Terraces I9, formed within the ring .9, afford bear ings for the shank of the handle 3 and thereby maintain a space within which the spring I4 is free to move. as shown in Fig. 6 to facilitate mounting and removal of the spring on and from the socket.

In the assembly of the various parts of a handle, the cover plate I2 is first mounted on the rim II of the socket, member I. i The carrier ring 9 with a retaining spring in position is then passed over the socket member I mm the limbs I! of the spring spread apart so that they-slide down those sides of the portion thereof which are not slotted until the carrier ring is located about the shoulder 8 and loosely within the'inner periphery of the cover plate I2. Thehandle -3 is then passed over the socket member I until its shank enters the carrier'ring 9 whereafter the assembly is completed by threadingthe screw '4 cover plate I2 has on its inner surface an opposed pair of grooves 20, which may be aligned with a diametrical groove 2I across the flange Ifl' of the socket member I. The rim '22 of the carrier ring 9 also has a diametrically opposed pair of notches 23 (Fig. 3). notches are so disposed that when the notches 23 in-the ring-9 are at right-angles tothe groove 2i,

the limbs ll of the spring I 4 are resting on the unslotted sides of the socket member. The slotted sides of said member are indicated by the groove 2 I.

When it is desired to secure a pair of handles to a door, one of the handles,'assernbled as above described, is slid on to the spindle as far as is considered necessary, "with the groove 2|: directed towards the grooved sides of the spindle. The ring 9 is then turned through 90", whereby-the limbs I! of the spring I4 passthrough the slots I3 7 in the socket member I into engagement with a pair of grooves I8 in the spindle I.

The free end of the spindle I, with one handle attached thereto, is passed through the usual square hole in the lock or latch until the end of the spindle with the grooves I8a, projects from the other side of the door. The second handle, whose parts have previously been assembled and set in the relative positions above described, as

indicated by notches 23 and the groove 2 I, is.

then slid on to the spindle, and the two cover plates are pressed towards one another until their fiat 'faces engage the surface'of the door. The carrier ring 9 of the second handle is then turned through 90, whereby the limbs I! of its retaining spring I4, penetrating the slots I3 in the socket member I, engage apair of the grooves l 8a in'the spindle. V V

For firmly securing the pair of handles to the door and eliminating rattle, the 'inner surfaces 24,0f the spindle cover plates "I 2 are each provided with a setof pins '25 arranged-to penetrate the surface of the door and prevent the'plate :I2 from rotating. Preferably, these pins are disposed asymmetrically, as shown in'Fig. '2, to ensure that the plates t2 are returned to their original positions in the event of their having The ends of the limbs are turned These grooves and been removed, as for thepainting of thedoor.

This is particularly desirable in the case of non- .circular .cover plates.

7 The diiference in the spacings of the grooves I8 and the grooves I8a enables very fine adjustment .of the handle without the necessity for extremely close spacing of the grooves. For example, if the grooves I8 are disposed apart, and the grooves IBa are disposed 3% apart (pitch spacing) the pair of handles are finely adjustable to 1 doors of thicknesses varying by, as little as r".

outwards, the net result is a reduction of the distance between the surfaces 24 :of :the cover plates I2 by 3 2'; and vice versaf In an alternative arrangement, the .grooves may allbe equally spaced apart, and'the handles may be provided with pluralities of retaining means, such as the U-shapedsprings villustrated. I

It will be appreciated that when a pair of handles have been secured to a door asdescribed, they may be freely .used withoutposfiibility of the locking means'beingaccidentally released. The carrier ring 9 rotates with the handle by virtue of the engagement of the limbsIl of the retaining spring I with the "ends of theslots I3 in the socket member I. Adeliberate grip -.at two opposed points on the rim 22 .of :the ring 9 is necessary before the ring and the handle'can be relatively rotated. However, by such deliber- I ate action thellocking of the handle-to'thespindle I,is very convenientlyand quickly :released :to enable the handle assembly, namely, the handle 3, the ring 9, and the coverplate I.2, to;.be withdrawn as a unit. 7 7

Obviously, fastening means according ttoithe invention maybe applied 'toa single door :handle, or to one of a pairof door handles wherein the other handle is permanently attached to the spindle. a

The fastening means is entirely concealed and 1 tively to the handle, :deliberately by the fingers, 7 but is not liable to be turned accidentally.

However, in an alternative construction 11s gas shown in Figs. 10 and'll, the periphery of a modified carrier ring 26 is sunk within the confines of the shank of the handle 3 and a modified cover plate 21, so that it is inaccessible except with the aid of a special tool. In this constructiongthe socket member 28 is also modified, f'having at its inner end. a boss 29 in place of the flange I0 shown in Fig. 1. The boss 29 supports a bearing ring 30, about the outer, tapered periphery 3| of, which the annular cover plate'2l is freely rotatable. The carrier ring has a peripheral flange The inner, transverse surfaces of all the projections engage the outer surface of the bearing ring 30 so as to create an annular space 39 (Fig. 10) for the accommodation of a modified, flat retaining spring 40. The upper part 4| of this spring is of M-shape, and adapted to be engaged between the projections 36 and 31 as shown in Fig. 11, whereby the elimination of the projections IS on the spring as shown in Figs. 6 and '7 is enabled. The limbs of the spring 40 are of curved shape like the limbs I! as shown in Fig. 6, and adapted to pass through slots l3 in the socket member 28 into an opposed pair of recesses I8 in the spindle 1 as herelnbefore described.

The operations of assembling and dismantling a handle assembly according to Figs. 10 and 11 are similar to those above described. However, as the cover plate 21 shrouds the carrier ring 26, the latter is not actuable by the fingers for rotation relative to the handle in order to engage or disengage the retaining spring 40 with or from the grooves l8. It is therefore provided with recesses 42 (Fig. 11) in the periphery of its outer part, adapted to be engaged by a tool, such as a c-spanner, inserted in the small gap 43 between the cover plate 21 and the peripheral flange 34 of the handle.

Evidently, in this construction, the carrier ring 26 and the bearing ring 30 turn with the handle and the socket 28. There is ample clearance between the outer periphery of the carrier ring 26 and the inner periphery of the cover plate 21, so that when the latter is non-rotatably secured to the surface of a door by the pins 25 it does not tend to bind upon the carrier ring and enable the handle in use to be turned relative to said ring. Thus, the handle may be freely used and is not able to be removed except by the deliberate use of the tool to cause relative turning of the carrier ring and the handle.

Many modifications may be made without departing from the invention. For instance, the flange ll! of the socket member I may be substituted by a separate disc held on said member by a relatively small integral collar or head, the various parts being so constructed that said collar or head is sunk within the face 24 of the cover plate I2 (Fig. 1). The cover plate itself may be polygonal or of ornamental shape instead of circular as illustrated, and it may in fact form an integral part of a lock guard or finger plate. Moreover, if desired, the cover plate may be entirely omitted.

Evidently, the spindle and the handle socket may have polygonal sections other than square or rectangular (or as in the case of twin spindles, even a round section) and the handles may be made in various shapes for convenience or artistic appearance, including lever types.

I claim:-

1. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, a recess in the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having at least one apertured side, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier member turnable on the socket relative to the handle, and spring retaining means anchored to the carrier member and disposed to pass through said apertured side into engagement with said recess under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said recess and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

2. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, a recess in the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having at least one apertured side, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier member, a radial flange supported by the socket, said flange serving to hold the carrier member rotatably in assembly with the socket and the handle, and spring retaining means anchored to the carrier member and disposed to pass through said apertured side into engagement with said recess under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said recess and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

3. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, a recess in the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having at least one apertured side, a handle turnable with the socket, a spindle cover plate, a carrier men her, a radial flange on the socket, said flange serving to hold the carrier member rotatably in assembly with the socket and the handle and also to hold the cover plate rotatably in assem- 4. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, at least one pair of recesses in opposite sides of the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier member turnable on the socket i relative to the handle, and retaining means-com stituted by a U-shaped spring anchored to the carrier member with its limbsdisposed to pass one through each of said apertured sides into engagement with each of saidrecesses under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

5. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, at least one pair of recesses in opposite sides of the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier ring, a radial flange supported by the socket, said flange serving to hold the carrier ring rotatably in assembly with the socket and the handle, at least one pair of axial holes in said ring, retaining means constituted by a U-shaped spring, and a pair of perpendicular projections from the base of said spring spaced to enter said pair of holes and thereby to anchor said spring to the carrier ring with its limbs disposed to pass one through each of said apertured sides into engagement with each of said recesses under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

6. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, a plurality of pairs of recesses in opposite sides of one end of the spindle spaced apart-with equal pitch, a plurality of pairs of recesses in opposite sides of the other end of the spindle spaced apart with equal pitch different from said first-mentioned pitch, a pair of sockets mountable. on the ends of the spindle for turning therewith and each having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handleturnable with each socket, a carrier ring {mounted 'on eachv 'ing of the handle and the carrier member and to move out Of engagement with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

'7. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, at least one pair of grooves in opposite sides of thespindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier member turnable on the socketrelative to the handle, retaining means constituted by .a U-shaped spring, and mutually co-operating recesses and projections on said carrier member and said spring serving to anchor said spring by its base to the carrier member with its limbs disposed to pass one through each of said'apertured sides into engagement with each of said grooves under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said grooves and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning'of the handle and the carrier member. 3

8. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, at least one pair of recesses in opposite sides of the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having an opposed'pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier ring, a radial flange supported by the socket, said fiange'serving to hold" the carrier ring rotatably in assembly with the'socket and the handle, retaining means constituted by a U-shaped spring, the base of said spring being M-shaped, a plurality of projections on said ring adapted'to engage in the angles of said base and thereby to anchor said spring to the carrier ring' with its limbs disposed to pass each through one of said apertured sides into engagement with one of said recesses under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move outof engagement with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

9. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, a plurality of pairs of recesses in opposite sides of one end of the spindle spaced apart with equal pitch, a plurality of pairs of recesses in opposite sides of the other end of the spindle spaced apart with equal pitch different from saidfirst mentioned pitch, a pair of sockets mountable on the ends of the spindle for turning therewith and each having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable' with each socket, a carrier ring mounted on each socket, a radial flange on each socket serving to hold the carrier, ring rotatably in assembly with the socket and the handle; retaining means con stituted by a U-shaped spring, the base of said spring being M-shaped, a plurality of projections the carrier member.

, and the carrier member.

aoaa

onsaid wring iadaptedio engage in theangles of :tial:relative-turning-oi the handleland the carrier :member andto move out of engagement with .said-;recessesand ride on said socket under an aother partial relative turning of 1 0. A door handle assembly comprising, in com.- .-bination, a spindle, a'plurality of-recesses spaced apart with equalrpitch-in one end'of the spindle, .a :plurality :of recesses "spaced apart with 7 equal pitch different from said first-mentioned pitc-hin the handle. and

-.-the other-end of -the :spindle, a pair-of sockets mountable-0n :the ends of the spindle .for turntosaid handle, and spring retaining means anchored-to the carrier member anddisposed to ,pass each through one of said apertured sides into engagementwith one of said-recesses-under ,a partial relative turning-of the :handle .andthe ,carrier-member and to :move out of engagement -,with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning 11. 'A door handlerassembly comprising, in-combination, a rectangular spindle, I a plurality of pairs-of recesseslspaced apart with equal pitch in opposite sides of one end of the spindle, a pluralityof pairs of recesses spaced apart-with equal pitch, different ifrom 'said-rfirst-mentioned pitch ,apa'ir ofso'cketsof hollow rectangular {cross-sec- -ltion mountable .on .theqends of the spindle for fturningtherewith and each having an opposed pair of aperturedsides, .ahandle turnable with of the handle .35 "in oppositesides of the other end of the spindle,

each socket,'a spindleeover plateassociated with each socket, a carrier member associated with each socket, a radial ,flange on each socket, said flange serving to hold the associated carriermember rotatably in assembly with the socket .andthe associated handle and also ,to hold the-associated "cover'plateirotatably in assembly with the socket, and retaining means constituted by a-U-shaped spring anchoredcto each carriermember with its limbs disposed to passone through each of the apertured sides of thejassociated socket into engagemerit with one of said recesses under a par- "tial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member'and to move out of engagement withsaid recesses and, ride on said socketunder another. 1 partial relativeturning ofthe handle and the "carrier member.

' "12. A door handle assemblycornprising, in combination, a spindle, a recess in the spindle, ja

ing means anchored to the carrier ring and dis-' posed to pass through said apertured side into engagement with said recess under a partial relative turning of the handle and thecarrier ring and to move out of engagement with said recess and ride on said socket, under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier ring.

13. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, at least one recessin the Spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having at least one apertured side, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier member, a spindle cover plate, a radial flange supported by the socket, said flange serving to hold the carrier member rotatably in assembly with the socket and the handle and also to hold the cover plate rotatably in assembly with the socket, said carrier member being sunk between the handle and the cover plate to prevent access thereto except by a tool insertable between said handle and cover plate, and spring retaining means anchored to the carrier member and disposed to pass through said apertured side into engagement with said recess under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said recess and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

14. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a rectangular spindle, a plurality of pairs of recesses spaced apart with equal pitch in opposite sides of one end of the spindle, a plurality of pairs of recesses spaced apart with equal pitch different from said first-mentioned pitch in opposite sides of the other end of the spindle, a pair of sockets of hollow rectangular cross-section mountable on the ends of the spindle for turning therewith and each having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a'handle turnable with each socket, a spindle cover plate associated with each socket, a carrier ring associated with each socket, a radial flange on each socket, said flange serving to hold the associated carrier ring rotatably in assembly with the socket and the associated handle and also to hold the associated cover plate rotatably in assembly with the socket, the periphery of each of said rings being sunk between the associated cover plate and handle for preventing access thereto except by a tool insertable between said cover plate and handle and retaining means constituted by a U shaped spring anchored to each carrier member with its limbs disposed to pass one through each of the apertured sides of the associated Socket into engagement with one of said recesses under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier ring and to move out of engagement with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier ring.

15. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, at least one pair of recesses in opposite sides of the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier member turnable on the socket relative to the handle, and retaining means constituted by a U-shaped spring anchored to the carrier member with its limbs disposed to pass one through each of said apertured sides into engagement with each of said recesses under a partial relative turning of the handle and. the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and carrier member, said carrier member being exposed to enable said turnings thereof relative to the handle by the fingers.

16. A door handle assembly comprising, in

combination, a spindle, at least one pair of recesses in opposite sides of the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier ring, a radial flange supported by the socket, said flange serving to hold the carrier ring rotatably in assembly with the socket and the handle, the periphery of said ring being exposed to enable turning thereof relative to the handle by the fingers, retaining means constituted by a U-shaped spring, the base of said spring being M-shaped, and a plurality of projections on said ring adapted to engage in the angles of said base and thereby to anchor said spring to the carrier ring with its limbs disposed to pass each through one of said apertured sides into engagement with one of said recesses under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

17. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, at least one pair of recesses in opposite sides of the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier ring, a radial flange supported by the socket, said flange serving to hold the carrier ring rotatably in assembly with the socket and the handle, the periphery of said ring being sunk between said flange and the handle for preventing rotation of said ring relative to the handle except by the insertion of a tool, at least one pair of axial holes in said ring, retaining means constituted by a U-shaped spring, and a pair of perpendicular projections from the base of said spring spaced to enter said pair of holes and thereby to anchor said spring to the carrier ring with its limbs disposed to pass one through each of said apertured sides into engagement with each of said recesses under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said recesses and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

18. A door handle assembly comprising, in combination, a spindle, at least one pair of grooves in opposite sides of the spindle, a socket turnable with the spindle and having an opposed pair of apertured sides, a handle turnable with the socket, a carrier member turnable on the socket relative to the handle, said carrier member being sunk within the confines of the handle for preventing rotation thereof relative to the handle except by the insertion of a tool, retaining means constituted by a U-shaped spring, and mutually co-operating recesses and projections on said carrier member and said spring serving to anchor said spring by its base to the carrier member with its limbs disposed to pass one through each of said apertured sides into engagement with each of said grooves under a partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member and to move out of engagement with said grooves and ride on said socket under another partial relative turning of the handle and the carrier member.

ROBERT GRIMMOND. 

